Chiropractic Focus – bra fitting

Posted on 12/26/2015

Experts estimate that more than 85 percent of women are wearing the wrong size bra!

The problem: Ribs are a semi-flexible structure to allow for lung expansion during inspiration and expiration and rigid enough to protect the lungs and the heart. Women are advised to wear a bra or brazier to protect and support their breasts but if they have a wrong fit, it can cause problems with the rib cage. Many times, when a woman comes in for a chiropractic evaluation with mid-back and rib complaints we check to see if their brazier is the wrong fit. This also applies to bathing suits.

As a preventative instruction let’s simply review the correct method to determine the proper fit so people do not suffer unnecessarily when it just requires the right information to keep the thoracic region of the spine and ribs from the compression of a badly fitting bra.

Taking your measurements in Inches. (from www.goodhousekeeping.com) Not only will a properly fitted bra feel more comfortable, but it will make your clothes fit and look better. So learn how to do the math, so you can figure out your own dimensions:

Step #1: Stand straight and relax. Don’t inhale and expand your rib cage as if you’re about to blow out candles.

Step #2: Using a soft tape measure, measure all the way around your body, placing the tape measure right beneath your breasts (example: 30 1/2). If your measurement is an even number, add four to that number. And if you’re an odd number, add five, rounding up if necessary to the next even number. Congratulations: That’s your band size.

Step #3: While wearing a bra, measure completely around the fullest part of your bust (across the nipple) without pulling tight. Make sure the tape measure goes around your entire back. Do this in front of a mirror so that you can make sure the measuring tape isn’t dipping down in the back.

Step #4: Subtract the number from your band size (38 – 36 = 2). The result will indicate your appropriate cup size, based on the following guide:

0 = AA
1 = A
2 = B
3 = C
4 = D
5 = DD
6 = DDD

This VIDEO* will demonstrate the proper method of putting on a bra and how to adjust for a better fit. (* from WikiHow)